A 73-year-old Richmond Heights man was killed Thursday afternoon when two tires flew off a semi truck on eastbound Interstate 64 and crashed through the roof of his car near the I-270 interchange in Town and Country.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the tires detached from the semi, struck the median, and went airborne before slamming through the roof of the victim's vehicle around 2 p.m., according to the Highway Patrol. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been released.

Eastbound I-64 was shut down for roughly two hours during the afternoon commute, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. All lanes reopened by early evening. The crash occurred on a major commuter route connecting Chesterfield and Wildwood to downtown St. Louis.

"We know that things can happen in a split second out on the roadway," said Nick Chibarria, a AAA spokesperson. "This is an unfortunate and tragic reminder. It's pretty unusual, and no other way to describe it other than a freak accident when something like this happens."

Rico Williams, who runs Savedriver Services Driving School, said he has had his own close call with road debris. "It literally flew up in the air and came down in front of my car, and it hit the front bumper of my car," Williams said. "If I were a car length closer, then it would have struck me more directly."

The Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. No information has been released about the semi driver or the trucking company involved, and it is unclear whether any citations have been issued.

MoDOT advises drivers involved in any crash to move to the right shoulder if their vehicle is drivable and dial *55 to reach the Highway Patrol.